Read The Sword and The Seven Stones: Diamond Page 21

  Chapter 19

  Alman’s sword grew brighter and brighter the closer he got to the cat. The eyes pierced through his soul. Fangs dripped with saliva, knowing he would have his next meal. One paw went up then swept across the air and knocked Alman out of the way. Gavin and the others waited to see where the cat would move to. The beast circled them, looking to see who he would eat first. As he approached his next meal, his head threw back and a piercing scream came out of his mouth. Alman had put his sword through its back leg. Blue liquid spewed from the gash he left there. The cat turned and faced him again. Alman knew the only way to kill a beast this size would be through the brain or the heart. Before the paw could reach him again he, jumped out of the way. He brought the cat away from the others. The fairy was in flight, fluttering in front of the cats face. He was trying to give Alman the chance to get into place but after the third fly by, the cat had enough and swatted the fairy. He landed against the rocks and laid limp. Luc went over to him and picked him up and put him in his coat. Alman couldn’t take his eyes off the cat to even notice.

  As soon as Alman saw the fairy fly through the air, something inside him let loose. Harry was gone and now the fairy was harmed. He needed him alive since he was the only person who could get them out of here. “Stand down, men. I need you all alive. This one is mine. This one is for Harry.” With that, he ran towards the cat and at the last minute jumped up on top of some large boulders and then landed right on him. Gavin and the men got out of the way as the cat tried to get Alman off his back. Each time Alman tried to position his sword, the cat reared up and Alman almost lost his hold. On the third attempt, the cat went up again and Alman lost his hold and rolled to the ground, the cat’s paws almost hitting him on the way down. His sword flew to the side out of his reach. The cat looked at the sword as it slid across the ground, then back at Alman. He moved slowly, each paw making the ground move as he walked closer. Alman looked over at his sword, then at the cat. He knew he had to get to it before the cat had a chance to get him. Gavin and Jordon started to yell at the beast but nothing was going to take his focus off what he wanted. Alman inched closer and closer to the sword and watched for his moment to move. It didn’t take long. The fairy took off out of Luc’s coat and started to fly in front of the cat again. In a split second, the cat looked at the fairy and Alman made his move. The cat let out a scream and swung at the fairy but this time it didn’t make contact. Alman had just gotten to his sword as the paw came around to swipe at him again. This time he was ready. He jumped up on the boulder and then again onto the cat. Lifting his arms up, he brought the blade down. The piercing scream vibrated off the walls of the tunnel. The first blow deflected because it could go through the bone. He held on as the cat moved to get him off. Alman waited for the chance once again. For a split second, the cat gave him enough time to bring the blade back up and then it hit its mark. The blade sliced through and the cat stood for a minute before falling to the floor. Alman jumped clear as the others did. As it hit the ground, the ground underneath them moved. Cracks formed and the ground beneath their feet let go. They all tumbled down. The water was ice cold and as they surfaced to the top, the cat sank to the bottom. Getting out of the pool, Alman watched as the cat sank deeper to the bottom. He looked at the fairy who watched beside him. “Was that the right cat?” The fairy looked up at him, his brow furrowed. He nodded his head. “So we shouldn’t be worried about any others now?” he asked him. The fairy shrugged his shoulders. He knew the one that sank to the bottom was the right cat. He hoped by killing that one that they should be ok now. Alman waited for him to confirm. Shrugging his shoulders was no answer any of them wanted at this moment. “Fairy, tell me was that or was that not the last of them.” The fairy backed away from the pool and shook his head. Alman looked at the pool of water and the face that looked back at him was the largest he had ever seen in an animal. It slowly came out of the water. Fangs the size of a man, eyes the mirrors of their souls. Empty and cold. Alman grabbed the fairy and Nelvil picked up the dwarf and they all started to run. Even though his sword was shining, Alman didn’t think he had a chance with this one. The tunnels got wider and taller as they ran. The ground moved with every step the cat took. This one wasn’t white or black. This one was gray. This one was hungry and determined to not allow them to reach their destination. Just as they rounded a corner, they stopped in their tracks. They were at a dead end. The cat was getting closer and closer. Gavin figured the cat knew they couldn’t get out. That’s why it didn’t try to catch up to them. It knew that they would come to a dead end. Alman looked at the fairy. “If there is anything you could do, now would be a great time to get at it.” The fairy thought for a minute then flew out of Alman’s grasp and checked out all the walls. There was a small leak in the one wall and water trickled down. The fairy started to move in all directions and the leak grew and the water started to pour through now. The cat was still coming in their direction and just as he was about to reach them, the fairy urged them into the crack. They ran forward and just as the fairy got through, a large paw tried to force its way through. The fairy then began to seal the leak. The paw started to get crushed and the roar that was let out was enough to make a man go deaf. Alman held on to the fairy because the force he used to close the crack was drawing him closer to it and he wasn’t about to lose the only thing that could get them all out of here. Just as he thought he would not be able to hold on anymore, the cat pulled out its paw and the crack sealed. They could hear the pounding that the cat was doing to try to break down the wall that separated it from them. Alman looked down and the fairy laid limp in his hands. It was so dark where they were that he couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. Luc reached out his stubby little hands and Alman placed him carefully down. Luc put his ear to the fairy’s chest and then looked back up to Alman. “He breathes. He must have used everything he had to save us.” Alman looked at the others. “Well, let’s start walking to see where this will lead to. We have to find a way topside. We have to be closer or they wouldn’t be trying to stop us.” They hadn’t heard anything from the cat since they left. The pounding had stopped. He hoped that they wouldn’t run into it anytime soon. Jordon and Nelvil walked ahead so they could scope the area. When they came to a clearing with no water in sight, they decided to make camp for the night. All of them were tired and they needed the fairy to help them get back out. Gavin looked down at the tired thing. He was still out cold but as long as his chest rose with each breath, then he wasn’t worried. He would hate to make it this far and not get there now. Luc took off his coat and then laid the fairy within. Jordon came over and gave drops of water to the fairy that he had taken from the pool. The first drop hit his lips and seeped through the cracks. The second, brought his eyes open. He sat up and looked around. Luc looked down and smiled as the fairy sat up and shook his head. He tilted his head back and waited for more. Jordon dropped a few more into his mouth and then the fairy jumped up and flew around the clearing. Alman laughed with the others as he came back down to the ground looking healthier than ever. Luc spoke to the fairy then. It was a language that none of them had heard before. At least this time they weren’t fighting. Nelvil pulled out the last of their food. “This is it, boys. We have enough for tonight but we will need to be top side by tomorrow if we are going to eat. They were glad that the food that was left was able to be eaten cold. They would smoke themselves out if they were to have a fire going now.

  A half hour later the food was gone and everyone had settled down for the night. Just as Gavin was falling asleep, he watched as the fairy got up and looked around. Gavin closed his eyes just far enough so he could watch him. The fairy took off down the tunnel. Gavin got up quietly and followed him. Just as he rounded the bend, he looked first to see if the fairy was still there. He couldn’t believe his eyes. The fairy was in full conversation with the cat that they just ran from. The cat laid on the ground, licking the paw that was wounded while the fairy walked back and forth
in front of it. The cat had no interest in what the fairy had to say. Gavin backed away. He couldn’t believe what he saw. He walked back to the clearing and laid down. How could he set them up like that? Luc said the fairies worked with them. Did that meant that Luc was in on it too? He looked over at him sound asleep. They needed the fairy to get them out of there but would he get them killed before they do?”